Electric fitting.



G. B. THOMAS. ELECTRIC FITTING. APPLICATION FILED rm. 1. 1911 Patented July 31, 1917.

V dH mw HwQaW/a Inventor:

65006-5 5- THO/"H5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.GEORGE 13. THOMAS, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT ELEC- TRIC COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC FITTING.

Application filed February 7, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. Tiroaras, a citizen of the United States of Amerlca, and residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Electric Fittings, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to electric fittings and particularly to a combined switch and outlet device, the object of my invention being to provide an exceedingly compact, economically manufactured combined switch and outlet device which can be installed in an ordinary single gang outlet box, such as is commonly used for a flush switch.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a receptacle with its cover plate detached and with the terminaLguide block for the receptacle removed;

Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation of the parts assembled; and

Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of the fitting.

In the form here shown the present fitting comprises a base 10 of insulating material of generally rectangular shape having on its outer face a well 11 to receive a switch mechanism and an adjacent depressed-ledge 12 to receive the terminals of the attachment plug receptacle. At its opposite ends the base carries cars 13 for sup porting the receptacle in a single gang outlet box and these ears are tapped. at 14 to receive the screws 15 by'which the face plate 16 is secured in position uponthe base 10. At the four corners of the base are shoulders on which rest wire terminal plates 17, 18, 19 and 20. The plates 17 and 18 are preferably integral with the straps 21 and 22 resting on the depressed ledge 12. Upstanding from each of these straps is a pair of attachment plug receptacle terminals 23 and 24:; 25 and 26 so arranged that the ter minals 23 and 25 may cooperate with an attachment plug having its jacks in tandem,

while the terminals 24: and 26 are so arranged that they will cooperate with an attachment plug having its jacks arranged in parallel. Resting upon the ledge 12 is an independent terminal guide block 27 of insulating material having slots 230, 240, 250 and 260 to receive and inclose the several terminals 23 to 26 and affording guideways for the jacks of the cotiperating plug. In

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1917.

Serial No. 147,208.

assembled position the block 27 rises slightly above the upper face of the base 10 and passes through the opening 28 in the face plate 16. A shoulder 29, however, is formed at the outer'end of the terminal block to underlie the face plate 16 at the edge of the=opening 28 and the latter is flattened at 30 to engage this shoulder so that when the cover-plate is in position it overlies the shoulder 29 and'thus retains the terminal block 27 inposition. The block 27 may also be recessed at 31 to accommodate the face plate screw 15 and the inwardly extending boss 32 in the face plate in which the head of the screw is countersunk.

The wire terminals 19 and 20 are preferably integral with the downwardly angled straps33 and 34, the lower ends of which are oflset to form switch terminals near the bottom of the well 1L Cooperating terminals 35 and 36are arranged at the opposite side of the well 11 and may be connected to the other switch terminals by the blades 37 and 38 on the actuation of the switch mechanism. .The latter may be of any suitable type and I have indicated one in which the mechanism is operated by a push button 39 which passes out through a perforation 40 in the face plate and moves the blades 37 and 38 to successive positions by successive depressions of the button.

The switch terminals 35 and 36 are connected in series with attachment plug receptacle plates 21 and 22 by means of straps 41 and 12 let into thelower face of the base. Screw bolts 13, 44, both mechanically support and electrically connect the terminal plate 21 to switch terminal 35; while bolts 45 and ac similarly support and connect plate 22 with terminal 36.

It is obvious that by connecting the wire mains to the terminals 17 and 18 the current is led directly and constantly to the switch terminals 35 and 36, while at the same time the current may be tapped from the receptacle terminals without respect to the position of the switch. On the other hand, if the line Wires are connected to the terminals 19 and 20, the circuit to the receptacle terminals is dependent upon the position of the switch. Still further modifications of connections may be made by leading the line wires to other terminal combinations, as will be obvious to any one skilled in the art.

Various modifications of construction and arrangement of parts will readily occur to those familiar with the art which do not depart from what I claim as my invention.

1. A combined switch and attachment plug receptacle comprising an insulating base recessed to form a well and an adjacent depressed ledge, wire terminals having straps overlying said ledge, upstanding receptacle terminals on said straps, switch terminals in said well and electrical connections between said switch terminals and straps.

2. A combined switch and attachment plug receptacle comprising an insulating base recessed to form a well and an adjacent depressed ledge, wire terminals having straps overlying said ledge, upstanding receptacle terminals on said straps, switch terminals in said well and electrical connections between said switch terminals and straps, together with an insulating block overlying said ledge and pierced to receive said receptacle terminals.

3. A combined switch and attachment plug receptacle comprising an insulating base recessed to form a well and an adjacent depressed ledge,n wire terminals having straps overlying said ledge, upstanding receptacle terminals on said straps, switch terminals in said well and electrical connections between said switch terminals and straps, together with an insulating block overlying said ledge and pierced to receive said receptacle terminals, and a cover plate for the receptacle engaging said block to retain the same upon said ledge.

4:. A combined switch and attachment plug receptacle, comprising an insulating base recessed to form a well and an adjacent depressed ledge, switch terminals in said well, wire termlnal straps resting on said ledge, upstanding receptacle terminals carried by said straps, straps let into the inner face of said base and electrical connections between said straps and the receptacle and switch terminals.

5. In an electrical fitting, an insulating base having a depressed ledge, receptacle terminals upstanding from said ledge, an insulating block pierced to receive said terminals and overlying said ledge, in combination with a cover plate for said fitting engaging said block and serving to hold the same in fixed position on said ledge.

6. In an electrical fitting, an insulating base having a depressed ledge, receptacle terminals upstanding from said ledge, a

shouldered insulating block pierced to receive said terminals and overlying said ledge, in combination with a cover plate for said fitting apertured to permit portion of said block to pass therethrough, said plate engaging the shoulder on said block to hold the latter in fixed position on said ledge.

7. In an electrical fitting, an insulating base having a depressed ledge, receptacle terminals upstanding from said ledge, a shouldered insulating block pierced to receive said terminals and overlying said ledge, in combination with a cover plate for said fitting apertured to permit portion of said block to pass therethrough, said plate engaging the shoulder on said block to hold the latter in fixed position on said ledge, a securing screw passing through said cover plate and a lateral channel in said block to accommodate said screw.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE B. THOMAS. Witnesses H. M. WIoHnR'r, A. H. JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

